A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material has photographically been processed with a processing solution using an automatic processing machine. On such occasions, a replenisher replenishing system is commonly used wherein the processing solution in a processing tank is controlled so that the activity thereof is kept constant. In the case of the replenisher replenishing system, processing agents are dissolved to prepare a replenishing solution, and the solution is replenished so that the processing agents are replenished.
However, since the solution replenishing produces overflow solution corresponding to the replenishing amount except for the evaporated amount, much overflow solution as photographic waste is ordinarily discharged. This is a problem, since there has been recent world wide movement for regulations to prohibit dumping of photographic waste into oceans.
On the other hand, a method to reduce the waste by regenerating the processing solution is disclosed in WO91-07698 or WO91-07699. However, in this method the apparatus for the regeneration is necessary besides the processing machine, and its system is complex and large.
Therefore, a less replenishment method reducing a replenisher has been developed in order to reduce the photographic waste. However, even if a light-sensitive material is processed in this replenishment method, the amount of the processing components consumed and replenished are not changed. Therefore, the replenisher has been concentrated. As a result, recently the replenisher is so concentrated as to reach the solubility limit of the processing agent. Accordingly, a further reduced replenishment method has problems such as poor storage stability of the replenisher or occurrence of precipitations in the replenisher, and it is impossible to further reduce the waste by such replenishment of the replenisher.
Recently, a solid processing composition has been developed for the processing composition for a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material. There is disclosed a method, for example, in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 5-119454 that all processing components are solidified and are incorporated directly to the processing tank to replenish the processing components. There is also disclosed a method in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 4-213454 that powdered processing components are incorporated at a portion communicating with the processing tank to reduce the amount of the replenishing water.
However, the present inventors have found that when reduced amount of replenishing water is replenished using a solid processing composition (particularly, the replenishing amount of replenishing water is not more than 75 ml per m.sup.2 of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material processed), surprisingly the following problems occurred.
Firstly, less replenishment of water does not give the maximum density as photographic property and produces stains in unexposed portions. As a result, optimum photographic properties can not be obtained.
Secondly, less replenishment of water causes crystal deposits on the the processing tank walls or the racks and produces tars.
Thirdly, less replenishment of water causes localized high concentration of the processing components in the processing solution, and precipitation readily occurs.
Fourthly, while the replenishing amount of water is preferably less in view of reduction of waste or earth environmental protection, it is necessary to replenish water to some extent. Otherwise, the surface of the processing solution in the processing tank is lowered, and portions which usually are under the solution surface are exposed to the air, crystal deposits are produced in those portions, accumulation of components unnecessary for processing is promoted and stains are produced on the light-sensitive material.
There is no description in the aforementioned references that the replenishing amount of replenishing water is not more than 75 ml per m.sup.2 of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material processed. There is no description in the above references regarding the aforementioned problems or a method solving the above problems and stably attaining reduced replenishment water which the conventional replenishing method replenishing a replenisher could not attain.